The name of Marjory Stoneman Douglas entered the news this year with the tragic loss of seventeen lives in a South Florida high school, so this is a good time to remember her for arguably the most important book ever written by a Floridian. The Everglades: River of Grass (1947) almost singlehandedly launched the modern conservation movement in America. A sample: Clouds and the smoke of fires stand far off and are sunk in it, like the smoke of ships … Read More »

Let’s clarify something right away. I’m talking about killing in our story. Please don’t call the cops or report me to the FBI. I don’t want to go to prison or be added to the no-fly list. Now that we’ve that put to rest, I want to tell you how hard it was for me to initiate my most recent character killing. The first took place in book one of the series, and Lyle had it coming. It was difficult, … Read More »

Calling all writers—get out. Stroll, pace, or wander. We give the page a piece of our mind, let’s give our bodies a push out the door. Even a quick fifteen-minute walk can bring unexpected writerly gifts. Note: I have mixed feelings about this post. As I write, fires and floods devour parts of the country. Hawaii’s recent volcanic eruption is producing toxic air. Some people are in respiratory crisis, making a leisurely walk outdoors prohibitive. In other places on the … Read More »

I never know where or when I’m going to find inspiration – does any writer? Sometimes I go looking, or will it in my mind, but I seem to have the best luck when I leave the door wide open and welcome inspiration on its own terms. I’ve gotten into the habit of taking a photo and posting it every morning on my walk from my car to the building where I work. I see it as a transition from … Read More »

A few years ago, I got a call from International Thriller Writers about a panel of writers they were assembling for an event down Palm Beach way. ITW needed a talented writer to participate and fill out the bill alongside internationally renowned bestseller Karin Slaughter, author of the popular Will Trent series. I expected the next thing to be, did I know anyone available? But no, she asked if I could join them. So on the appointed day, I headed … Read More »

In 1988, I took my first, full-blown creative writing class at Valencia Community College in Orlando, Florida. Our teacher rushed into the room with a huge smile, muttered a brief hello, and launched into the session. “Let’s start with the basics. First, what is the writer’s sacred duty?” he asked, peering at students in the front. Bushy eyebrows bouncing up and down, he gripped the small brown podium. I panicked. I’d recently returned to college after more than a decade, … Read More »